A Healer's Touch
by Chantika19
Summary: Remus comes to terms with the death of his friends and the end of the Marauder Era. But not without the help of a Healer.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: My first Remus fic! Please, drop a little comment! Let me know what you think! Or an idea! Or your life story! I'm all ears...**

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It was a warm January and the time passed all the quicker. I slowly walked through the corridors of St. Mungos as I reflected upon the unusual weather. My mother had always said that a warm morning was a good omen. Perhaps January could be considered the morning of the year. Perhaps that was just wishful thinking, because I sorely needed a good year. 

As I reached the main healer's station on the ground floor, I hung my blue blazer on the coat rack and smoothed down my green robes. A Senior Healer, in fact, the one I trained under, Trudy Goodall approaced me, a relieved look about her wrinkled face.

"There's a boy in room 47B. He's been there over night and he's stable, but he might need this," Madam Goodall explained before tossing me a vial of thick, black syrup. _Draught of Ease,_ I read across the label. I remembered it from one of my texts. It was used to rid patients who suffered from post-traumatic stress of unpleasent dreams. And at that, I was officially on duty.

Before setting off to room 47, I yawned so wide the senior healer behind the center station glared sideways at me.

"Sorry, Mindy: I usually get more sleep." I sweetly smiled, pocketing the potion and making my way down the hall. Before turning into the room, I stopped at the door and picked up the patient's record that sat in a cubby on the wall. With a wave toward Gregory who sat up eating his breakfast in bed A, I slid behind the curtains pulled closed between the two patients.

I stopped and swallowed hard as a pink crept over my cheeks. I hadn't prepared myself yet to see anyone in such a sad state. As I moved closer, I sat the file folder down on the end table and inspected the boy. He couldn't be any older than I was, but ages of wisdom were etched across his face. Under a lock of sandy brown hair was a freshly healed wound. I could see the invisable seems of the last binding charm slowly come undone as a loud, raspy voice startled me. Madam Larson -Head Healer- or Mindy, as I called her solely to annoy, announced her presence.

"I just wanted to inform you, because Goodall forgot to: He requires several new Nectus charms applied here," she opened the folder and pointed, leaning into me, "and here, and here and here and here."

"Thanks, _Mindy_," I emphasized, quickly yanking the file out of her hand and conning an appreciative simper. "I think I've got it under control."

She hautily raised an eyebrow before stalking out of the room. An annoyed huff escaped my lips before I turned back toward the patient. I retrieved the vial out of my pocket and set it carefully on the end table. Checking the file one last time, I set it beside the boy and pulled my wand from my sleeve.

I muttered "Nice to meet you, Remus," before pointing the tip of my wand at his forehead and rotating my wrist as if sewing a pattern. His eyes sleepily flickered open to reveal royal blue irises: a color I'd never seen before. At least not in someone's eyes.

"I brought you some Draught of Ease, in case you're having trouble getting good rest," I offered, moving my wand down to his arm and repeating the binding motions. With a crooked brow, he huffed.

"Did it occur to anyone that Draught of Ease may have been more useful last night, before I slept? ...Not after I woke," he finished in a mumble, struggling to keep his eyes open. I shrugged off his remark. It wasn't unusual that patients were _impatient_. After I reapplied the second Nectus charm and moved to undo the shirt button, my brows met in confusion. _What kind of wounds are these? _

I picked up the file, setting my wand in it's place. Flipping to the frontmost page, red words in large type read: _Lycanthrope_.

I hadn't realized that I had whispered the word until the body writhed below the file I held in my hands. I looked down to find blue eyes open and averting. I had never known a werewolf. I cleared my throat, setting the file aside.

"Bad transformation?" I asked lightly, careful not to sound accusing. His eyes remained toward the charmed window.

"Yes," his voice cracked.

"Well, I've studied and read all about lycanthropy, you see. So I'm sure I can take care of you," I explained with the brightest smile I could muster. His eyes seemed to calculate before his neck craned toward me. A fleeting, appreciative smile flitted across his face. My eyes focused on his funny lip shape for a moment before he sat back and closed his eyes, again.

Before I left that night, I found myself peeking in on the boy. I had read his file several times over during lunch hour, and because a medical history wasn't much of a history, I found myself curious at the young man. I eyed the empty vial of the Draught I left and crossed the room to pick it up.

Again, at his bedside, I studied his face carefully, in search of the boy I came to learn I went to school with. But he had changed, and I no longer recognized him as Sirius Black and James Potter's quiet, yet vivacious, and healthy boy friend. He looked a worn, wanting man, battered and hurt.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. In this chapter we learn a little more about our lead, Abby (actually, there are just hints here and there). Hope you like it! Let me know! I'm even open for suggestions. And one more thing: this is a transitional chapter -nothing really exciting. There will be one more similar to it before the story really takes off. So please! Be patient! I've got high hopes for this story... : )

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Absentmindedly stirring my morning tea, a million recent headlines flooded my thoughts. Not three months before, it's true -The War had ended, but not without it's casualties. Some of which I knew.

I would be lying if I said Lily Potter née Evans was my best friend at school, or even a mutual friend. And the same went for her husband and their close friends, Peter Pettigrew and Sirius Black.

And Remus.

I never met any of them at school. Or knew anything about them. At least not until all the papers and magazines announced the end of The War, and how Peter Pettigrew was killed by Sirius Black who in turn led _you-know-who_ to the Potters and to his end; how Sirius Black had betrayed his best friends. Not only Lily and James and the miracle of a boy, Harry -but poor little Peter and Remus, who was left completely alone.

Finishing my tea, I promised myself not think about The War or it's _casualties_ any longer. After all, the morning was a warm one again and the ice that lined the grey streets of London was thawing.

After slipping into a light, white jumper, I made my way to the center of the room and with a loud _crack!_ I was no longer in my apartment but outside the back entrance of St. Mungo's.

"Good morning, Madam Larson." Not exactly sure why, I smiled politely at _Mindy_ and continued down the hall and behind the center station. Madam Norell -_Jessica _sat down, drinking a cup of hot coffee. She wasn't much older than me, and one of the only two other junior healers on the first floor.

"Jessica!"

"Hullo, Abby," she said sweetly, her lips turning up into a smile that matched her tone.

"Where have you been?" I asked, trying my best to sound unaffected. "You were missed."

With another smile, she explained, "I was in Wales for the Hols with my _fiance_!" She flashed her ring and I took her hand, chuckling at the way she pursed he lips to refrain from smiling too hugely.

"The stone is lovely, Jessica. I'm so happy for you and Arthur." With a forced smile I turned away and quickly walked to the bathroom. I felt like I was going to be sick.

I frantically splashed water over my face. Jessica had a huge, _pureblood_ family -and now she has two. And I'm still alone.

I don't know why I let such things get to me. I'm sure it was jealously, but it was unfair. Unfair to Jessica, someone I call my friend, and unfair to all the other Wizards or Muggles who had a family and people they love and are loved by in return. They weren't the lucky ones for having that -I was the _unlucky_ one who had lost everyone.

My eyes turned a muddy brown as tears formed and fell from them. Quickly whispering a drying charm, I removed the water from the front of my robes before wiping my eyes with my handkerchief and returning into the corridor. Jessica was gone. I thanked Merlin and returned to the station. Picking up my schedule, I skimmed over my charts and gave a small smile when I saw Remus' name half way down the list.

"Did the draught help?" The young man's reverie was broken as he turned his gaze away from the window and at me.

"Yes, it did. Thank you," he answered in a cracking voice.

"Well, I'll need to take a look at your lesions. Is now a good time?" He sat up and nodded. I walked to his bedside and set my wand aside. As I inspected his head injury, he cleared his throat.

"I apologize for my behavior yesterday."

I picked up my wand and began to reapply the binding charm to his forehead.

"Your head is healing nicely. And the charms aren't wearing off as quickly as before," I explained. "And you have nothing to apologize for." He gave an apologetic smile. "Is it because it's so soon after your transformation?" He nodded awkwardly as I moved down to his arm.

"Your arm is alright. Will you remove your shirt?" A slight blush flittered across his face before he did so. The large gash that stretched across his abdomen caused me to wince. The charms had no doubt worn off during the night and dried blood scabbed the entirety of the wound. I walked to the sink at the back of the room and transfigured a glass into a small basin. As it filled with warm water, I grabbed a washcloth from the linen cabinet.

"I'll have to clean this." He flinched as I gently swept the cloth over his stomach. "Do you remember me?" I asked, not quite sure where the impulse to came from. He swallowed hard to absorb the pain as I continued to clean the injury.

"Yes. Seventh year -double Ancient Runes. You sat behind me."

"You have an impressive memory, Mr. Lupin," I said while setting the basin and washcloth aside. Picking up my wand, I moved my arm to apply another Nectus charm.

"Please, Remus will do."

"Well then, you can just call me Abby." I finished applying the charm. "Can you sit forward, now? I'll just need to see your side."

"Do you have any idea when I might be released?"

"Technically, you have the right to leave whenever you wish. Though, I wouldn't recommend you did for another day or two."

I smoothed my robes back down. "Is there anything else I can get you, Remus?"

"I wouldn't mind taking a look at the daily prophet," he gingerly spoke, making it a point not to look me in the eye.

"Right away," I offered with a smile.

It took a few minutes to search the healer's station for a paper, but after discovering one under a tea cup and saucer, I began to make my way back down the hall and into Remus' room. As I ducked behind the curtains, I smiled brightly holding the folded newspaper out.

"Here you go."

He stood beside the window adjusting his sterile hospital shirt. "Thank you," he crossed the room to me and took the paper. He dropped his jaw as if going to speak, but abruptly shook his head and turned away.


End file.
